Every Good Trip Has to End Sometime

The former gang captain, newly baptized Bong gives Mama Della a heartfelt hug.

Pastors Thata and Francis  at the conclusion of the day of celebration.

Debriefing time. Get out the cellphones. 

Bing, Ann and Vicky at the end of our stay. 

Carabao, the Asian water buffalo and national animal of the Philippines. We stopped on the way to the airport to take this picture.

Della meets Deli. 

Sisters in the Lord.

Heal the Land

As evening approached on the day of thanksgiving celebration at The Father's Church, there was one more thing to do. Here Della is teaching actions to the song based on 2 Chronicles 7:14. "...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

The Dish Washing Crew

The place to do dishes is by the pump. You need a tarpaulin  to protect from the sun and of course you need a guitar. These things make the work much more pleasant. 

A Prayer Tunnel

We lined up in pairs and prayed for each person as they came through the tunnel.

Our tunnel extended right out of the church onto the front lawn.

Bottle Game for Married Couples

You've heard of musical chairs? Well, this is musical husbands in the chairs. Husbands sit in chairs holding a pop bottle between their legs. The wives and a joker (who is a young man) circle the husbands until the music stops. At that point a wife must sit on her own husband's lap and grab the bottle before the joker does. If the joker gets there first that couple is out.

 Thata's parents won. We came in second. This leads me to conclude that the longer you are married the easier it is to find your husband's lap or that Filipinos are polite and always respect their elders even if it means losing a game. 

Pop Bottle Relay

The rules to this game are simple. Two teams line up in front of two rows of pop bottles. At the signal the first member of each team races to put straws in each bottle in their row, then turns around and races back taking out the straws. Back at the starting line, the straws are passed to the next member on the team who does the same and so on. First team finished wins.

Lollipops, a Balloon and Stuffy Friends

What is a celebration without gifts for the children? The 10-year Anniversary Celebration provided the perfect opportunity to hand out stuffy friends. Betty Anne Warriner from Flamborough Christian Fellowship hand-crafted each unique stuffy friend. 

Ann and Thata handing out stuffy friends.

With Betty Anne's creative genius, buttons and ribbons, socks and mittens become adorable stuffy creatures.

A fishy sock.

A Feast for the Visiting Missionaries

God has been blessing this community through Della Tyrrell Ministries. Pastor Frances and Thata and The Father's Church went all out to show their appreciation at the 10 year anniversary. Thata admitted she stayed up almost all night (she slept two hours) in preparation for this day of celebration.

I have never felt so undeservedly honoured in my life. This is my first visit while Della has been coming for years. It  reminds me of Jesus' parable in which the person who comes along at the end of the day gets paid just as much as the one who has been slogging since early morning.

Lobster, rice and various side dishes including veggies from Ontario Christian Gleaners cooked in batter (see it positioned at one o'clock in relation to the lobster dish).

We finish up with coconut milk.

A Crowning Moment

Thank you for giving to the Lord

I am a life that was changed

Thank you for giving to the Lord

I am so glad you came.

Chorus from Ray Boltz song

During the thanksgiving celebration at The Father's Church the youth performed this thank you song to honour Della. She definitely felt honoured.

The Offering

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the Lord Almighty. Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.   Malachi 3:10-12

 

The Congregation

Outside.

Inside.

On the side.

All together.